Tiny Tim Tiptoes Through the Tulips

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Tiny Tim Tiptoes Through the Tulips

By: Legacy Staff

6 years ago

Tiny Tim died 15 years ago today. By then, he was almost a footnote of pop culture history. To younger generations – if they've heard of him – he was an odd star of a very odd era. As for those who were around at the height of his fame… well, they probably think he was odd too. But in the late 1960s, there was a place in pop culture for Tiny Tim's brand of odd.

Tiny Tim's shtick included a ukulele, a quivering falsetto, and over-the-top mannerisms that baffled and amused viewers of "Rowan and Martin's Laugh In" on his multiple appearances. For his first time on the show, Tiny Tim played a medley of "A Tisket a Tasket" and "On the Good Ship Lollipop." It was on a later appearance that he'd introduce his signature song, "Tiptoe Through the Tulips."

Tiny Tim's later recording of the 1929 song became an unlikely hit, making it to No. 17 on the charts. It was the height of his fame, which began to taper off by the early 1970s. although he continued to release albums for the rest of his life. Tiny Tim may have been a curiosity, but he was a beloved one.